They are what they say. Steel ball bearings. I ordered a pack of 5. Used them to make monkey fists. Of the 5 I received, 2 had blemishes/tarnishes or something else where the finish had fallen off. This doesn't bother me since I just wrap them in paracord anyway, but anyone planning to use them in the car to reduce friction (since they're ball bearings after all) should watch out for spots where stainless steel can't be as smooth have higher friction or higher resistance.